The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-06-30
JACOB SHARP FOUND GUILTY
The Jury Occupies but Thirteen Minutes
in Considering the Briber's Case.
Sentence Deferred Till July Is, and New
Trial To Be Asked For-Closing Argu-
ments of Stickney and Fellows.

shuffied into court at one door while Judge Bar
rett in at another. He appeared much
more feeble than usual, walking with great diff
Guilty to his place. A delay Of ten minutes was
occasioned at the request of Mr. Stickney. be-
fore he commenced to sum up After thanking
the jury for its indulgence of yesterday, in
allowing him until today to prepare his address,
he stated that hitherto his practice has been with
cases involving property, and that this is his
first criminal case. He would not attempt to
deliver an eloquent address, but to make a clear,
sensible argument that will appeal to reasoning
men. The charge, said he. is one of bribery.
not of conspiracy. Mr.. Sharp is charged with
corruptng Fullgraff with proffer of money for
his vote in the Board of Aldermen. What evil
dence has been brought forward to prove this
charged None. You are asked to send Sharp
to prison and TO impose practically a sentence of
death upon him, because somebody corrupted
the Board of Aldermen. There is not particle
of evidence Of the payment of money TO the al
dermen. They are said to have met in Nc
Loughlin's house long before any railroad mat
ter came before them, and that there it was said
an offer of $500. 900 had been made. was to be.
This is no evidence that anything of the kind
took place.
Counsel here read from a case brought against
the Erie railway, in 1873, for the use of money
in the Legislature. A. F. Clarke made the argu-
ment, and held that the money used was
torted as blackmail and as a ransom for the
road that the breands might take their hands
from its throat That Fullgraf got dollar
from anyone outside of the Board of Aldermen
there is not a word of evidence. Sharp. who is
is claimed was the head and front of this road,
held just 400 shares. worth probably $4,000,
Seventh-avenue railroad men held the
stock for self-protection. How Sharp be
connected with the alleged $500, 600 corruption
fund only because he voted for an issue Of bonds
for that amount2 This has been proven by the
prosecutions witnesses, and if you cannot con-
denim them how you find against hima Is
there to be one law for them and another for
him2 They contend that some improper use of
that money was made on Aug. 2, 1884. 1t was
in the hands of the proper officer of the COM
pany, and was never used by Mr. Sharp, in whole
in part, for that or for any other purpose. He
had no more control of it than you had 1t was
voted for proper uses by the officers of the COM
pany, and that's all the evidence there is
about 1t. Are any OF them guilty OF
bribery and corruption? Is Jacob Sharp any
more guilty. You are not to try this case on
surmises and suspicious or imaeinlngs On the
evidence Mr.. Snarp's connection with the scheme
may be stated thus: For thirty years he has
beer actively interested in moving for a railroad
on Broadway, and in 1884 he secured the passage
of an act authorizing It. He then pressed his
efforts and was continually at the Office of
Robinson, Scribner & Bright and the evidence
is that he was never there for any improper pur-
pose. These gentlemen have been on the stand,
and Colonel Fellows will not ask you to discredit
them. They say there was no conspiracy. VIII
you find that there was by inference2 Sharp was
there, so was Moloney. but there is evidence
to show that they were there other than for
legal purpose.
Now, gentlemen. every act of Mr.. Sharp, as
has been shown, is devoid of all guilt There is
not scintilla of evidence connecting him with
IN..l1- 49, ~.<,
consider the question of conspiracy at ALL as the
word does not occur in the Indictment; and. if
such thing should happen to find Sharp
guilty of such thing, it would simply be judi
cial murder. There conspiracy. These
men were engaged in a railroad enterprise, and.
if this was conspiracy, then there was a con-
parties to it. The Aldermen of 1884 struck
every thing in which there any pecuniary
value. They struck for money right and left.
They had 81. 900 bills. and no one knows where
they came from. Fulleraff says he got money
from DeLacey. but there is proof of any con-
necton between DeLacey and the Seventh
avenue railway, much less MIR. Sharp. Would
you find a verdict in for $25 on the evil
dence of such Fullgraff who has not
only periured himself. but VINO goes on
the stand and admits that he violated every oath
that he ever took? Yet his evidence is the back
bone of this case, and the Judge will tell you
that you have the right to reject IL altogether.
Every man in this room has had to submit to
exactions If you go to the Custom house you
will have to pay brides to the officials to get
what you entitled to. If you go to the reg
listers Office you must pay brides to clerks and
officials and every law office in this city has had
to do it. and is compelled to pay brides, and 1t
will oe so until honest public officials elected.
Now, Fullgraff. the district attorney says, has
testified in this case. and will then take up his
residence in distant State. This means that
this is to be the last of the bribery trials, for
one can be convicted without him. It means
that this old man of seventy years is to be sent
to prison, and the aldermen, about whose guilt
there is question, are to be allowed to go scot
free. l say to the great State of New York:
Clean your own house, put only honest men In
Office. and you will have no more of bribery.
Mr. Stickney then read Canvasser Powells
evidence to the jury, and. continuing. said
''We might have resorted to the common arti-
fee of having Mr.. Sharps wife and daughter
beside him at the end. We have avoided trick
and device to influence your judgment for we
believe in the Justice of our cause. Does Mr..
Sharp fear the RESULT He has been bounded by
the whole press without as much as one single
sheet suggesting that he was entitled to a fair
trial. II he was not confident, he had ample
time to fee. / demand of you that you protect
him and see that he receive at your hands the
verdict of acquittal to which he is entitled"
This ended Mr.. Stickney's address, and, on
motion of Colonel Fellows, adjournment
until P. NJ. was had.
Colonel Fellows began his address to the jury
should have some arguments to overcome but
now / am deprived of even the joy of combat
The defense has tied my hands so far as an at
tack is concerned, for man could attack
but forgot his arms. Our friends have relied
on the weakness of the prosecution. Let Us see
what we have. We must prove to you that the
aldermen bribed, and by corporation
whose head, heart and hand is the defendant at
the bar Were the aldermen bribed? Were
they corrupted? The task to prove it is easy for
me. Fulgraff. if tainted witness, has told his
story, and Waite has told of the rampant cor
ruption but doubtful or tainted evidence is
that of the defense, though counsel and they
have conceded that the aldermen were thieves.
The Calvinistic doctrine has been abused that
they were always corrupt; and that, like Topsy,
they were born so. / not here to criticise
the theology of the defense or the case but who
was this Fullgraff who gave this tainted testi-
mony} man honored and respected up to his
fall. man who raised large family OF chill
dren and grandchildren, until the tempter came
and debauched him"
Mr. Fellows then vigorously repealed the
charges made against the public officers of the
tinued:
..Fullgraff tells us that they were bribed, and